Riley is a man of passionate extremes.
Swaggering, sexy, comfortable in his own skin and a jack of all trades, Riley is a brawler and a lover. He is quick to laugh, but is equally quick-tempered and argumentative. And while he enjoys company and can be the life and soul of the party, Riley is also a bit of a lone wolf; a "cowboy" who prefers camping in his swag to staying in a house; a loner who is reticent to put down roots.
Riley entered our world as a travelling furrier. He is passionate about horses and before long establishes a brumby training business with Stevie. Riley proved himself to be a jack-of-all-trades; he is a capable bush mechanic, an excellent horseman, a hard worker and something of an alpha male. In short, he's a throwback to the traditional Aussie bushman of the 19th century; a hard living, hard working individualist.
Riley grew up an army brat, the son of a ferociously disciplinarian father. It was a world of black and white. It seemed only natural that, at the age of 17, Riley should follow his father's footsteps by enlisting in the army. But as Riley matured, he found his personal values brought him in conflict with the military culture. He was discharged under a cloud, following a dispute with a ranking officer.
Riley drifted from the army base at Townsville out to central Queensland to work as a jackaroo on a sweeping cattle and sheep property. Since then, Riley has moved through Australia, working when he needs to and when it suits him, believing that there's no need to settle down just yet.
All this was before he fell for Jodi McLeod. Riley is smitten, and this time it's for real.
Riley is like a wild brumby; capable, physical, and talented, but also untamed and dangerous. Handle with care.
Dustin Clare
Dustin is originally from country and north coast NSW, but studied at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. He graduated in 2004.
Dustin started filming on McLeod's Daughters in the role of Riley Ward in January 2006.
"I play a cowboy named Riley. Riley is a bit of a loner, a hard living and hardworking guy — a jack of all trades. He's quick tempered with a good heart, a natural leader that always stands up for the underdog." says Dustin.
"It's a fantastic opportunity to be a part of McLeod's Daughters. All the cast and crew are a really great bunch" said Clare.
